Great minds good friends
by Daemonchase
Summary: stories of what could have been if Toby and Reid became friends as kids and stayed in touch.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer

I do not own Criminal Minds The Listener or their characters

Criminal minds listener cross over  
>great minds good friends<p>

Summer 1996 us/Canada boarder

15 year old Reid sat at a table in a café sipping coffee. He had been there for hours. He was think of the past few days that got him here. Reid was so lost in thought he almost didn't see the rugged teen that entered, and sat down with him.

Toby was tired. He had been on the streets for months. He had run away when the voices and life had gotten too much. He had made it past the boarder and to the cafe. When he entered he "heard" and saw a kid in about the same state as him and sat down. He looked at the boy and said "hi, I'm toby"

"Hi I'm spencer" said Reid. He normally would have just left but something about toby stopped him.  
>"What are u doing here?"<p>

"I ran away. You."

"Same, Want to talk about it"

"Sure, I left because I couldn't take my foster home anymore, I ran south and didn't stop. You"

"School is hard, my mom is worse. I'm at my limit. I can see why my dad left. Where are you from?"

"Toronto"

"Las Vegas"

"Why did your dad leave?"

"My mom"

Toby "saw" a man and woman (who toby guessed were the parents) fighting and young Reid in the room. The dad saying he couldn't take care of the mom and leave.

"What's wrong with your mom?"

"Personal" spencer replied agitated.

Toby again couldn't help but read him. He saw images of Reid trying to get a woman he guessed was his mom out of bed, and of him trying to calm her. It was bad.

"Is she sick?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"You couldn't take care of her, it's not your fault, your dad left you when you were a kid, you still are a kid,"

"How do you know that I never said when my dad left, it could have been yesterday. How did you know?!"

"It was a guess, deductive reasoning" toby tried

"Don't lie to me. I'm not in the mood. Tell me the truth now or I'll bust you as being here illegally and you can go back to your home." Reid glared.

Seeing no other way out, and feeling he could trust him toby told the truth. "Ok you probably won't believe me but here is the truth, I can read minds. I know it sounds crazy but just listen to me. Ok. I have had this gift all my life, sometimes I can control it sometimes not. It's why I left. I know it's scary but I can prove it. It's not impossible"

Reid quickly got over the shock and thought about it. Intrigued he thought it may be possible, just improbable. I might give him a chance. "So how will you prove it?"

Smiling toby said "think of something only you would know, got it? Ok"

Reid thought of his three big fears, no one could know all three,

"You are scared of the dark, of getting schizophrenia, and being like your dad. Am I right?"

"Yes, now I believe you" said Reid.

"That's what's wrong with your mom "Toby concluded.

"Yes my dad couldn't take it so he left when I was ten. Now I am frustrated with it. I left just like him. It's hard to take care of her, me and go to school all at once."

"Where do you go to school?"

"Collage"

"So you're smart, when did you graduate?"

"At 12, I have an IQ of 187 and can read 20,000 words per minute"

"So you are a genius"

"I guess you could say that. Even so with all my genius I can't take care of my mom and do everything else"

"I don't know you seem to have been doing ok"

"so what about you" Reid said changing topics.

"What about me?" said Toby.

"What's your story? I told you about me so your turn"

"Well mine is sad, botched and short, I honestly don't remember it all"

"Fine what do you know?"

"Ok I was born with this gift. I lived with my mom till I was 5 and taken from her, my name was changed, and I was put in foster care. I have bounced from home to home. I was in juvenile hall, the only other person who knows my gift is the doc I see, don't know my dad, and foster care sucks so when it and the voices get to much I ran and here I am. That's the story of toby Logan"

"So what was your name before?"

"I don't know, I don't remember much before being put in foster care, that was 10 years ago"

"So you don't remember your mom"

"No"

"That sucks"

"I guess so"

"So why were you in jail?"

"Actually it should have been twice. The one time I was in was because I ran with some bad kids, inside I changed, got back to being good."

"What was the other time?"

"Oh in my third home I couldn't control my gift and the guy who ran the place was a pervert. As he tucked me in every night I heard what he wanted to do to me. Never did but I knew he would, so one night when I couldn't take it anymore I burned down his grudge and was put in the system"

"Whoa. Want some coffee" that was all Reid could say.

"sure, will you pay I don't have any US bills"

"Sure"

After that the two just sat there talking about their lives. After hours they neared the end of their talk.

"So what do u want to be when you are older?" Asked Reid

"I think I'll be a paramedic, you know to help people, but first I think I'll have fun. You?"

"I've been thinking about it and I think I'll be a profiler at the BAU in the FBI, I'll study killers, and save people."

"Cool. So you going to go home? You only have to do it for three more years." Said toby

"Yeah I'm not big on the institutionalizing thing but I'll think about it. But I will go home. You?"

"Yeah me too, hey I only have three more years to go. Hope to see you again sometime."

"That would be fun. Hey if you ever need anything just call me."

"You don't have a number"

"Call my house, if my number changes I'll call you."

"Fine, but when we get phones we just call each other's cell. Okay"

"Deal."

"see you Reid, nice meeting you"

"You too Logan"  
>The end<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
>Same cafe three years later<br>Reid sat waiting patiently for Toby to come. It had been three years since they last saw each other, but they had kept in touch. Finally Toby came. As Toby came in Reid got up, walked to him and gave him a hug.  
>" Good to see you Toby"<br>"You too Reid. Want to sit"  
>" sure"<br>Once they sat a waitress came over "what can I get you two?"  
>After a quick read of Reid's mind Toby said" two bear claws and two coffees one with lots of extra sugar"<br>" be right back"  
>Reid just looked at Toby and thought: you just read my mind didn't you.<br>Toby just said "yes" still reading him he added " and you don't mind"  
>"correct I find it interesting"<br>"so how's life"  
>"good and bad, I've got multiple degrees, and put my mom away."<br>Reid said the last part quietly.  
>" oh well I don't know what to say" said Toby.<br>"How about you. How's it like to be out of foster care"  
>" good, I'm free. Think I'll go to college. Now I can start free. "<br>" Good collage is fun. I'm almost done. I'm going to apply to the FBI after." Reid said.

"Good, good. So anything else?" Asked Toby.

"Not really, but if there was you would know, right?" Reid replied.

"Yeah I would know. Since there isn't how about some advice."

"You to me or me to you?"

"The second"

"Ok ask away" said Reid, preparing for the question.

"Well tell me the truth of college. Is it all fun? Is it hard? Is there anything I need to know? How will I know where to go? What if I fail?" said a worried Toby.

"Well I will tell you the truth, but before I do promise not to make an opinion until I am done. oK?" asked Reid.

"Deal. I am ready."

"Well ok then." Said Reid. He took a sip of coffee and began." Well collage is just like normal school... there is a lot of hard work. Some of the people are mean, it is stressful. Money is tight. The teachers can be harsher, the classes are tougher. More is expected of you. And at times it can be torture." Reid stopped to look at Toby. Toby's face was full of a mix of fear and sadness. Reid was enjoying this, then he made the mistake of it. The second he did Toby's face turned to anger.

"Hey, you are pausing to torture me! Now stop and get to the good part." Toby growled.

"Fine, fine, fine. But you should have seen your face." Laughed Reid.

"Not funny" Toby said with a scowl.

"Fine. Despite all of that stuff collage can be fun. It's a great learning experience. You will do great. Just don't do anything stupid and stay out of trouble." Reid said.

"Trouble finds me ok, but I will try. Thanks." Toby replied.

"Anytime."

The two just sat there talking about everything until they decided it was time to go.

"Bye Toby"

"See you spencer," Toby said. Then reading Reid he added "and I will remember to call if I need. Same goes for you call if you need to"

'This is what I get for being friends with a telepath' thought Reid.

"Yes it is" Toby answered with a smile. Then the two walked away.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

3 years latter

Toby was sitting at the table waiting for Spencer to show. After a few minuets of waiting Toby was board. To pass the time he decided to read the other patrons. Out of all the reads only one stood out. It was simply the words _I'm late_. This small read made him look at the door. At the door he saw Reid. Reid hurried through the door and sat down next to Toby.

"Hey, sorry I am late." Reid said.

"It's okay. I already ordered." Replied Toby.

"Thanks."

"No problem. So how have things been?"

"Good. I finished my degrees."

"Really. How many do you have now?" asked Toby.

"Well I have three PhDs in Mathematics, Engineering, and Chemistry. As well as two Bas in Psychology, and Sociology."

"impressive. What about that FBI job, did you get it?"

"Yes I did. As a matter of fact that is why I am late. We had a case and we just got back." said Reid.

"So you like it."

"Yes. I get to use my smarts to save people and catch criminals. The cases challenge my intellect, which I find a good thing. I learn lots of new things. The team I work with is nice. They have accepted me. I feel like I belong there. The only things that I find hard about the job are the hours and some of the images. The hours are totally unpredictable. I can be called in at any time. The crime scenes can take a bit to get used to. We see the worst of humanity. This job is not for everyone. I still like it though." Reid said.

"Okay, well I am glad you like it. Are you going to tell me about your team?" Toby asked.

"Yeah. There aren't many members. Hotch is the boss, the Unit Chief. He is very strict. Not mean, just respects the rules. He can be nice though. A real family man. Morgan he is a player, and a though guy. He is the door kicker. Morgan may act mean but inside he does care. He took the longest to accept me. Also he loves to tease me. Last is Gideon. Gideon is my mentor. He constantly makes my see things in other ways, and challenge my intellect. Other than you he is the only one who can beat me at chess. "

"They sound great."

"Yeah they are. So how have you been?" asked Reid.

"Good. Almost done with school." Replied Toby.

"Good, good, any plans for after?"

"Not sure."

"Thought you wanted to be a paramedic"

"Yeah, but maybe not right after. I might take a break."

"Okay. So how are you doing with." Reid said, then thought '_the readings?' _

"Good."

"Well I just had an idea." Said Reid. Then thought '_are you reading me? If so nod'_. Toby nodded. _'Okay, so I could use some profiling practice, and you could use a challenge. I want you to pick a person here tell me who, then you read them and give me five minutes to profile them. Next I think of the answer while trying to block you, you try to read me and once you have the answer you tell me if I am right. Want to do it?'_

"Sure. Guy with ball hat. start." said Toby. After five minutes he said" time." Then after two minutes of reading Reid, he said "got it."

"Want to go again?" asked Reid.

"Why not"

The two went on to do that to every person in the café. When done the sun was starting to set.

"That was fun. Unfortunately it's almost time for me to leave." Said Toby.

"Yeah me too."

"There is a gas station across the street. What do you say we go get two drinks to celebrate how well we did in the game, and you getting in the BAU. Then we can go our separate ways. I think we have time." Toby suggested.

"You know what? Why not. Let's go Toby." Reid said with a smile.

They went and got two small bottles and went to the parking lot.

"Cheers Spencer"

"Cheers Toby."

"Hey Spencer, let's not wait three years between contact again."

"I will try, but with my job it will be hard."

"Oh."

"However we can still call and text. Also if you give me your address I will write to you just like I do with my mom. If you really need to see me in person you can always come to my place, you just might have to wait a few days." Reid responded.

"Same applies to you Spencer."

"Thanks Toby."

"Your welcome. Now sadly I do have a bus to catch."

"Me too. So see you later, it's always a pleasure Toby Logan."

"Same here Spencer Reid. Bye." Said Toby.

With a hug the two went their separate ways.


End file.
